1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a food preparation assembly, and more particularly, to a carving board configured to collect drippings and a foldable cutting board configured to be mounted on the carving board.
2. Description of the Related Art
Carving boards for the preparation of meats are known in the art and have been constructed to collect and/or drain liquids flowing from the carved meat. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 3,598,164 to August describes a carving board having an inclined surface with an elongated slot formed adjacent the lower-most end of the inclined surface to permit the drainage of liquids from the carving surface into a receptacle. Such liquids are often used as gravy or dressing for the meat when it is served. However, these liquids will necessarily contain both the desirable natural juices flowing from the meat as well as the less desirable liquid fat.
In todays health conscious society, it has become well recognized that a low fat diet is important to healthier living. It would be beneficial therefore, to provide a carving board which is adapted to collect and separate desirable meat juices from less desirable fatty liquids, so that the juices can be subsequently utilized and the fatty liquids can be discarded.
Cutting boards for the preparation of fruits and vegetables are also known in the art, and often comprise a flat cutting surface upon which fruits and vegetables are sliced and subsequently directed into a bowl or similar receptacle with a knife or other object. Often, when transferring sliced vegetables prepared on a cutting board to a suitable receptacle, it becomes difficult to manipulate or orient the cutting board in an appropriate manner so as not to cause the vegetables to spill or fall from the board. A cutting board which provides one solution to this problem has been disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,203,548 to Sanders and includes a planar cutting surface that is foldable into a chute-like configuration to prevent cut or sliced vegetables from spilling during transfer from the board to a receptacle.
Another problem that exists with traditional vegetable cutting boards is the inability to maintain the cutting board in a stable position during utilization. For instance, while slicing, conventional cutting boards can slip or slide upon a supporting surface, presenting a potential safety hazard to the user. It would be beneficial therefore, to provide a cutting board that is configured to be maintained in a fixed position upon a support surface during utilization.